Interactive Custom Art Tutorial

[Sythen]

This is a basic, hands-on tutorial that I put together which is aimed at teaching people how to add their own custom artwork into Ultima Online.

This tutorial includes:

2 Custom Art Files: [000.bmp] and [001.bmp]
I Used Adobe Photoshop CS2 and a Drawing Tablet to Create These Bitmaps.

Both Pictures Represent Checkbooks - The Picture On The Right Is Identical To The Gump The Checkbook.cs Uses.

To use them in game follow the directions I added to the top of the CheckBook.cs file. Then in game [add checkbook, [props (the checkbook), and change the item ID to the pictures above.

A Borrowed Script: [CheckBook.cs]
Here Is Where I Got This Script From: The Economy Control System This Checkbook.cs uses Gold Only; It basically acts as a bankbox and holds up to 50,000,000 gold for spending only. Insurance money and gold that gets automatically debited still comes out of your bankbox. Otherwise this script and your bank box work seperately. This script can also be customized to your Server just goto line 368 and type your server name in there.

The Software File: [Mulpatcher v9.7]
I included this because its essential just to add static artwork into the game.

Please view the Readme File included with this package. It explains how to setup Mulpatcher on Vista | The instructions on how to add customized art to your server are edited at the top of the CheckBook.cs file.

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ADDITIONALLY:

This Is Just Step 1... Once you master how to add your custom 'static' art into UO, then you should try and move on to adding custom 'animation' to the mix. I will be posting a Step 2 to this process eventually; but I haven't mastered adding animation yet so I am holding off until I get to that point. If someone wants to beat me to the chase, by all means follow this thread and post an interactive tutorial for adding custom animations; just remember to include the files people need. The problems that I've encountered with tutorials is that people often write them without keeping the reader in mind (if that makes sense). I hope that by adding every file necessary to complete this process, everyone who uses this tutorial will be able to master this topic a lot more quickly.

If You Are Using This Tutorial

People Will Be Able To:

> add new 'static' custom artwork that people can implement into scripts that they write; and/or use the item id numbers off the new art to replace existing item id numbers on things that are already in the game.

People Won't Be Able To:

> add any items requiring animation edits; these include: new weapons, new clothing, new armor, and custom drawn mobiles.

Anyway, I hope this is helpful. Have fun with it and let me know how it goes! I know that by writing it, I learned a lot about this topic. There are other tutorials available, but those tutorials require you to write additional scripts the item(s) they have you create. This is an all-in-one package.